The days after Christmas always have their own pace. Slow mornings, long lunches, and the satisfaction of knowing the fridge is full of leftovers. And while the ham has played its role at the centre of the table, the leftovers open up a different kind of opportunity in the days after.
Most of us default to the usual things, sandwiches, toasties, omelettes, salads. They all work. But every so often it’s worth giving the leftover ham a bit more attention. For us, that means carbonara.
This is my family’s post-Christmas version of the Roman classic, kept true to the way it’s meant to be made. No cream, no garlic, no unnecessary additions. Just pasta, pork, eggs, pecorino and black pepper. The only change is the pork. Instead of guanciale, we use what’s already in the fridge: leftover Christmas ham. It brings a gentle smokiness and a bit of sweetness from the glaze that works naturally with the richness of the sauce.
As with any recipe that relies on a few good ingredients, it needs a bit of care, and when it comes together, the leftover ham earns its place all over again.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 250-300g leftover Christmas ham, cut into 1cm x 3cm lardons
- 400g dried spaghetti
- 4 eggs
- 40g finely grated pecorino cheese, plus extra to serve
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Mild-flavoured extra virgin olive oil – optional
Method
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
- Cook the pasta: bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the spaghetti for 8-10 minutes, until al dente
- Crisp the ham: while the pasta cooks, heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Because ham is typically leaner than guanciale, you may need a splash of olive oil to help it along. Add the ham lardons and fry, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the edges turn golden and begin to crisp. Scoop the ham out with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Prepare the egg mixture: in a bowl, whisk the eggs and pecorino together. Season generously with black pepper (note, there’s no need for salt at this stage due to the saltiness of the ham and pecorino)
- Combine pasta with rendered fat: when the spaghetti is done, reserve 2 tablespoons of its cooking water. Drain the pasta and place it directly into the frying pan with the warm rendered fat (the heat should now be off)
- Form the sauce: whisk the reserved cooking water into the egg mixture – this helps temper it so it doesn’t scramble on contact with the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss immediately for 20-30 seconds, working quickly to coat every strand. The residual heat will thicken the sauce into a glossy silky consistency.
- Finish and serve: add the crisped ham back into the pan and toss through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately with extra pecorino and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
